1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a hydraulic clutch with an impeller wheel, a turbine wheel with a turbine wheel shell, and a torsional vibration damper.
2. Description of the Related Art
DE 43 33 562 A1 discloses a hydraulic clutch of the type mentioned above wherein the turbine wheel is drivable by the impeller wheel, and the turbine wheel shell is mounted in an axial and radial sliding bearing so as to be rotatable with respect to a turbine wheel hub. The torsional vibration damper is arranged on the turbine wheel hub so as to be fixed with respect to rotation relative to it and the turbine wheel hub is drivable by the turbine wheel via the turbine wheel shell and the torsional vibration damper. The turbine wheel shell acts on the torsional vibration damper via a connection element.
The hydraulic clutch of the prior art already operates quite satisfactorily, but is still capable of improvement.
It is the object of the present invention to design a hydraulic clutch of the type mentioned above which can be realized more compactly and economically while carrying out its function equally well or better.
This object is met in that the sliding bearing support has an axial sliding bearing and a radial sliding bearing, wherein the axial sliding bearing is arranged so as to be spatially offset with respect to the radial sliding bearing.
Further, by means of this step, each of the two sliding bearings can be designed, in itself, in an optimal manner for its respective task without influencing the other sliding bearing.
In a particularly advantageous arrangement of the two sliding bearings relative to one another, the axial sliding bearing is radially and/or axially offset relative to the radial sliding bearing. The axial sliding bearing preferably extends farther inward radially in relation to the radial sliding bearing.
When the turbine wheel shell and the turbine wheel hub have a small distance from one another in the area of the turbine wheel hub in a first portion and a large distance from one another in a second portion and the axial sliding bearing is arranged in the second portion, the hydraulic clutch has an even smaller axial extension. The second portion is preferably arranged farther inside radially than the first portion.
When the turbine wheel shell in the area of the radial sliding bearing extends farther inward radially than the turbine wheel hub, the hydraulic clutch can be constructed in a more compact manner and operates particularly reliably.
Compactness can be increased even more when the turbine wheel shell in the area of the radial sliding bearing has a curve directed away from the radial sliding bearing.
A rolling bearing is preferably arranged between the turbine wheel shell and a stator wheel hub. When this rolling bearing is constructed as a needle bearing, it requires a particularly small installation space, especially axial installation space.
When this rolling bearing is arranged at the height of the axial sliding bearing, no shear moment or tilting moment is exerted on the turbine wheel shell by the axial bearing and the rolling bearing.
A rolling bearing is preferably arranged between the turbine wheel hub and a drive-side housing element. In particular, the rolling bearing can be constructed as a grooved ball bearing.
When the torsional vibration damper is arranged on the radial inner side, the hydraulic clutch is particularly compact.
When the torsional vibration damper has at least two spring assemblies which are nested concentrically one inside the other, a large spring constant of the torsional vibration damper can be realized in spite of the compact construction.
The connection element can engage directly in the torsional vibration damper. Alternatively, the connection element can act on an engagement element which engages in the torsional vibration damper. In this case, the connection element interlocks with the engagement element, for example.
When the engagement element has a bend, the hydraulic clutch can be implemented in a more compact manner.
When the connection element is welded with the turbine wheel shell, the connection between the connection element and turbine wheel shell is particularly stable and capable of bearing loads.
When the turbine wheel shell receives the connection element in a connection area which is arranged farther inside radially than a turbine wheel shell area in which the turbine wheel shell has its farthest axial extension, the hydraulic clutch can be realized in a more compact manner.
Modem hydraulic clutches generally have a lockup clutch which communicates with the connection element. The lockup clutch preferably has at least one clutch disk arranged at a disk carrier.
Especially high torques can be transmitted by the lockup clutch when the lockup clutch has a plurality of clutch disks arranged axially one behind the other.
When the disk carrier passes into a holding clamp which is connected to the turbine wheel shell in a holding area which differs from the turbine wheel shell area, the hydraulic clutch can again be realized in a more compact manner.
Alternatively, the holding area can be arranged farther radially outside or farther radially inside than the turbine wheel shell area.
The holding clamp is preferably welded to the turbine wheel shell. When welding the holding clamp on the radial inner side, it is even possible to weld the connection element and the holding clamp to the turbine wheel shell along a common weld.
When the torsional vibration damper is arranged on the radial inner side, the hydraulic clutch is particularly compact.
When the holding clamp has a radial bend, the construction volume of the hydraulic clutch can be reduced even more while retaining the same efficiency.
Further advantages and details are given in the following description of an embodiment example in connection with the drawings.
The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of the disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages, and specific objects attained by its use, reference should be had to the drawing and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated and described preferred embodiments of the invention.